Ken Starr was a historic legal figure and a truly decent human being

Fox News host Neil Cavuto reflects on Starr's life on 'Your World.'

With the passing of Kenneth Starr this week, the legal profession lost one of its most enduring and impactful figures of the last century. 

As someone who was able to work with Starr in litigation, I can honestly say that he was one of the best lawyers that I have seen in court. He not only had a brilliant legal mind but brought a sense of extraordinary clarity and precision to the law. 

It was that penetrating intellect that repeatedly led to his being called upon to handle some of this nation’s most intractable and controversial matters. He was often repaid with partisan hostility by the media and Congress. However, he never stooped to the level of his critics. He remained one of the most modest, respectful, and kind individuals that I have ever known.

KEN STARR, CLINTON INVESTIGATOR, DEAD AT 76

It is easy to rattle off the list of high-ranking appointments and high-profile cases that made Starr such a historic legal figure. A federal judge, Solicitor General, Independent Counsel, litigator, and academic, he left a legacy that few could hope to match in our profession. However, Ken Starr was more than the collection of his resume items. Much more.

While rarely discussed in the media, Starr’s life embodied the very best of the American dream. It is the story of a boy who was the youngest of three children of a Texas barber who was also a preacher. 

Proudly calling himself a fifth generation Texan, Starr began his early life near the Red River and the Oklahoma border in the tiny town of Thalia with roughly 100 residents and not a single traffic light. 

The family had little money but made up for it with an abundance of faith. His father served as the